Pleading guilty to the charge of manslaughter for killing his partner Reona Payne whom he shot some 14 times back in 2018, former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) captain Orwain Sandy now awaits sentencing which will be delivered next Tuesday.
Appearing before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in George-town on Monday, Sandy denied the charge of murder for which he was originally indicted, pleading, however, to the lesser count of manslaughter.
He admitted that on March 31st, 2018, he unlawfully killed the woman at First Street, Alexander Village. He was a captain in the GDF at the time.
Presenting the state’s case during a virtual Zoom hearing, Prosecutor Lisa Cave said that on the morning in question at about 10:40 the two who shared a common law relationship were arguing with each other as they drove along First Street, Alexander Village.
She explained that at some point during the journey Sandy parked the car and was seen a few feet from the left side door with his 9mm service pistol, pulling Payne from the vehicle.
The court heard that Payne resisted but Sandy was seen continually pulling her before she eventually fell out of the car.
Cave said that shortly after, Sandy aimed the gun at Payne and fired a shot.
According to the prosecutor, Sandy was then seen pausing for about five to six seconds before firing several more shots at Payne after which he entered his vehicle and drove to the nearby Ruimveldt Police Station where he told police what he had done to Payne.
The lawmen then rushed to the scene where they discovered the woman’s motionless body bearing several gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The prosecutor said that 14 spent shells were later recovered by crime scene ranks.
An autopsy would subsequently confirm that the mother of three died of multiple gunshot injuries.
Cave said that Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh had said in his report that the body bore “14 gunshot wounds from left to right and right to left; all exiting.”
She said Dr. Singh noted in his report that the deceased had sustained one of those 14 shots to the middle of her forehead, while the other 13 were to her chest, shoulder, arm, palm and elbow.
Sandy in his version of events related to the court that he and Payne were in a heated argument about a call he had instructed her to place to another male, to whom she was to inform she would no longer be calling.
He said that after the call, Payne began arguing with him and “scrambled the steering wheel and his gun.”
His story is that he enquired from her why she had scrambled his gun and he told her that she has to “move on.”
He said that as a result, “she wind down the window and started to scream and threw my gun out the window.”
According to Sandy, he then stopped the vehicle and picked up his gun and went back into the car, while noting that when he went back into the car, Payne jumped out of the car. He said that he then “went back round to her side of the vehicle and shot her several times and she fell to the ground.”
Sandy’s sentencing has been deferred to facilitate impact statements which Payne’s family may wish to make.
Defence attorney Ravindra Mohabir has indicated to the court the he will be calling two character witnesses on his client’s behalf before sentence is passed.
Payne and Sandy had no children together. He has a 14-year-old son.
According to a probation report, Sandy, now 38, first began working with the GDF as a civilian at the age of 17 and later enlisted as a soldier, successfully completing a number of training programmes and courses before rising to the more senior position of Captain. At the time of the shooting incident, he was pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the University of Guyana.
Probation and Social Services Officer Remesia Lewis indicated to the court that records from the defence force revealed that Sandy held various positions in its ranks and over the years attended several conferences both locally and internationally where he represented the force.
He also held the post of Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of Staff and had received several medals and letters of commendation for “his exemplary service,” the report said.
Lewis said that reports from the Lusignan Prison indicate that Sandy was an exemplary prisoner and was responsible for the formation of a group called “prisoners of hope,” whose objective “it is to inform inmates to adopt an optimistic approach to life’s challenges.”
Further, she said that he has initiated the World Bible School Programme and has organized with the help of prison officials to procure from the United Kingdom, books and other literature for fellow inmates, while noting that he currently serves as orderly for the prison’s library.
Lewis said that residents of Haslington and Providence where Sandy lived, described him as well-respected and expressed shock at his involvement in the matter as did his co-workers who described him as jovial and pleasant.
Lewis said investigations revealed that Sandy and Payne grew up in the same community and shared a visiting relationship as teenagers but separated after six years due to his commitment to his job.
Lewis said that after a number of failed relationships including a marriage, the two reconciled in 2016.
Regarding Sandy’s attitude toward the offence, the probation officer said that while he has accepted responsibility for the killing and seemed remorseful, he could not provide a reason for his actions.
